Culture

ELLE Travel: Mustique

Culture

ELLE Travel: Mustique

The mystery of Mustique

[caption id="attachment_5139" align="aligncenter" width="456" caption="A view from Toucan Hill, one of Mustique's highest and most luxurious villas"]
[/caption] Undoubtedly one of the most exclusive (and expensive) islands in the world,
Mustique is
the preeminent sanctuary for the well-traveled. This tiny retreat - situated in the fantastical Grenadine Islands of St. Vincent in the Caribbean - is only three miles long and yet hosts a boon of rock stars, celebrities, fashion designers, and even members of the royal family (William and Kate have vacationed here pre-wedding.) The caché lies in its extremist approach to privacy. Mustique island owns its air rights so no one can just arrive looking for a good time, or a tabloid photo opp. For discerning travelers looking for absolute seclusion (and much-needed time away from the paps), each of the 72 luxury residences available for rental (via
The Mustique Company) are so discreet, so clandestine that each villa feels like an island onto itself.
I had the immeasurable fortune of seeing what all the hype was about when
I visited Mustique last week on a short (albeit spectacular) press junket. True to form, the West Indies isle is everything you would expect it to be: Lush landscapes, azure waters and sensual sea breezes. In short, if I could summon an extra $50,000 (US) I would have tacked on an extra week to my travels (stay tuned to
ELLECanada.com for the full account of my trip in the coming days), but, alas, I don't have the net worth of someone like Mick Jagger (the island's most adored despot). My only option was to pry and plead with some residents to get the details on where the stars do sojourn. I did manage to get a celebrity list with over 60 names but, in keeping with house rules, I was forbidden to only mention six of them to you. Take a look at the gallery below to get a glimpse into the villa stays of Mustique's memorable guests.
Which villa would you stay in if given the opportunity? [gallery link="file"]